Golden Slumbers | Fab Forum

Golden Slumbers

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26 May 2012
9.08am

GeorgeTSimpson

Vienna, Austria

Paris Olympia

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One of my favourite beatles song, i think it's the best ballad they have ever made.
And that's why I think this: The verse: Very good lyrics I think they sound a bit philosophical. The melody is very good too, it sounds a bit like The Long And Winding Road , but i'd say a bit better. The bass line by george is far superior to the bass line by john in The Long And Winding Road . The teamwork between bass, piano and strings is amazing, the strings sound better than in any other beatles ballad (and a million better than the spector strings).
Chorus: Now the song sounds a bit like a pop/rock song, but still with an amazing play by the strings. Bass and the new drums are also very good and the piano is still very suitable.
All in all I think Golden Slumbers is a very awesome song, what do you mean to it?

Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby

26 May 2012
10.24am

Ben Ramon

Carnegie Hall

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The lyrics weren't written by the Beatles. It's a traditional lullaby. Paul was sitting at his father's piano and saw the sheet music for it sitting there and liked the lyrics, but he couldn't read the music so he made up his own melody.

Still, it is a beautiful song.

SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'

26 May 2012
1.17pm

GeorgeTSimpson

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Paris Olympia

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I thought just the lyrics of the chorus were from the old song and he wrote the verse himself but I'm not sure (anyway the end of the verse and of the chorus is the same)

Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby

26 May 2012
6.49pm

meanmistermustard

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Its a good song but evidence that the individual parts of Abbey Road are less that the whole.

I believe this to be the original source of inspiration for Paul, written by Thomas Dekker (apologies if not, was taken from a quick google search online):

Golden Slumbers kiss your eyes,
Smiles awake you when you rise;
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby,
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.
Care is heavy, therefore sleep you,
You are care, and care must keep you;
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby,
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.

This is the track that George didnt remember playing bass on.

Here's Take 17 for anyone who hasnt heard it.

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1 July 2015
11.11am

Ahhh Girl

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This is what I think about when I hear this song.

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home (We've crossed the line and become older and can't go back to being our old selves playing in Hamburg and The Cavern without all the sound manipulation, mixing, overdubs, etc. I think the Let It Be project helped them see this.)
Sleep pretty darling (THE BEATLES are the pretty darling) do not cry (it won't bring the good times back; it isn't worth the effort)
And I will sing a lullaby (I will sing US to *sleep*...and sing a song to let the fans know this party is ending.)

Golden Slumbers fill your eyes (the success of gold records, and just being richer than they ever imagined)
Smiles awake you when you rise (the smiles of Yoko, Linda and Heather, etc.)

And, yes, it makes me want to bawl my eyes out.

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27 July 2015
2.15pm

Ron Nasty

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Paul was at his Father's in Liverpool, he was sitting at the piano that had been bought from Epstein's so many years ago, his half-sister's (Ruth) piano book was sitting there. He started flicking through it though he couldn't read music. He half-remembered Golden Slumbers when he found it, this is to the tune he couldn't read...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlnOK-PlMvg

Golden Slumbers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlnOK-PlMvg

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27 July 2015
3.29pm

Zig

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I'd heard the story, but never heard the tune. Thanks!

To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.

27 July 2015
3.53pm

georgiewood

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I've got to rate that one a little lower than Paul's version. I'm going to give it, umm, about 0.

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27 July 2015
6.48pm

Wigwam

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlnOK-PlMvg

Yes 'georgiewood' I prefer paul's version too........I nearly dropped off listening to this

14 December 2017
1.34pm

Beatlebug

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Ahhh Girl said
This is what I think about when I hear this song.
Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home (We've crossed the line and become older and can't go back to being our old selves playing in Hamburg and The Cavern without all the sound manipulation, mixing, overdubs, etc. I think the Let It Be project helped them see this.)
Sleep pretty darling (THE BEATLES are the pretty darling) do not cry (it won't bring the good times back; it isn't worth the effort)
And I will sing a lullaby (I will sing US to *sleep*...and sing a song to let the fans know this party is ending.)
Golden Slumbers fill your eyes (the success of gold records, and just being richer than they ever imagined)
Smiles awake you when you rise (the smiles of Yoko, Linda and Heather, etc.)
And, yes, it makes me want to bawl my eyes out.

Awwww @Ahhh Girl.

I picture a father singing this to his little daughter by her bedside in a small tent, in an encampment for refugees of some war-torn country, after losing her mother and other hard times but with hope on the morrow (or perhaps tomorrow's tomorrow), and trying to reassure her that everything will, in fact, be all right in the end, and go to sleep now.
My interpretation is less Beatley but just as heartbreaking, in my opinion...

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